Lock



lulyvll, 1939. R. H. wlNsLow ET AL 2,155,775

LOCK

Filed March 19, 195s Patented July 1 1, 1939 UNITED STATES LOCK Robert 1!. Winslow and Mellon J. Sheilieid, West Hartford, Conn.

Application March 19'; 1938, Serial No. 196,806

7' Claims.

Our invention relates to the class of devices which are employed for temporarily securingmembers, as doors, against movement, and an object of the invention, among others, is the provision of a device of this type that is simple in construction and operation, that may be readily secured-to a door or similar object, and that while having extremely convenient means for locking and unlocking action, yet, shall be securedagainst accidental or unintentional operation,

One form of a lock embodying our invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which-- v 5 r Figure 1 is a view of a portion'oi the inner face of an automobile door having our improved lock applied thereto. 1

Figure 21s a top edge view of the same.

0 Figure 3 Ba face view 0! the lock on enlarged scale showing some of the mechanism in dotted lines. I V

Figure 4 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the dotted lines 4-4 of Fig. 3.

5 Figure 5 is an isometric perspective view showing the bottom of the lug supporting hub.

Figure 6 is an isometric perspective view of a fragment 0! the locking plate. I

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 but illus- 0 trating a modified form of the hub.

Figure 8 is a side edge view of a portion of a door illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Figure 9 is a front view of the same.

Figure 10 is an isometric perspective view illus- 5 trating the barrel and'cam latch 0! said modified form.

Figure 11 is a view in central longitudinal sec- 1 tion through the loci: case. I

' Figure 12 is a bottom view flowing the applica- 0 tion of this latter form of lock.

Figure 13 is a view in central lengthwise section through the same.

The doors of automobiles are commonly equipped on their inner faces with handles for to releasing the lach or lock bolt for securing sucl. doors in closed positions, this being in addition to the regular handles for releasing the door latches from the outside. Accidents have frequently occurred not only to children but also to adults by 50 the accidental operation of this inside handle and the consequent release of the latch'thereby causing the occupant to fall out of the door. It is the purpose of the present invention to construct a;

lock of simple construction to prevent such accldental release or operation of the handle on the (Cl. vii-210) inner face of the door which lock shall occupy comparatively little space and which may be readily operated to lock the inside handle against movement, this our improvement being illustrated in the drawing wherein the numeral i! denotes a fragment of the inner portion of an automobile door oi ordinary construction and commonly consisting of a thin plate of board covered'by a fabric comprising the innerface of the door. A handle I6 is pivotally attached to this portion of the door, 10 the handle being connected with a latch or lock bolt in any ordinary manner common to structures of this class, and which are rel lily understood by those skilled in the art, such connection being therefore omitted herein as not necessary to 15 an understanding of the invention. This handle is commonly rotated downwardly to eifect release or the latch or lock bolt of the door, but whatever this condition may be our improved lock is designed to prevent movement of said handle to Ii an unlocking position.

This lock comprises a base plate ll recessed on its under surface to receive a detent plate ll having a spring tongue I! biased out 01' the plane of the plate and into locking position, as shown in as Fig. 4 of the drawing, this tongue being preferably an integral part of the plate. The detent plate may be secured as by means of screws passed through holes therein and in the base plate to secure the latter in place. 80

A locklng'hub is rotatably supported by the base plate, as by means oi a flange II on the hub engaged under a lip 22 bounding an opening through the base plate, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, whereby the hub is supported in operative posi- 38 tion. A locking groove 23 is formed in the bottom of the hub in a position and of a size to receive the locking tongue I! to prevent rotation of the hub from its locking position. This locking position is such that a locking lug or dog 2| projecting from 49 the hub is secured in the path of movement of the handle ii to unlatch or unlock the dog, as shown in Fig. 1. In this position the hub 20 is locked against movement and the handle. It is prevented 5 from turning tounlatch thedoor.

A key opening 25 is made through the hub in line w th the spring locking tongue IQ for operation of the latter. This opening may be of a shape to receive an implement of proper size to be thrust thereinto, or said opening may be formed to receive a key or special shape.

Pressure'of the spring l9 against the flat surface of the bottom of the hub will operate to hold the hub in an unlocking position, when turned 1 to such position and when it is desired to lock the handle l6 against movement the hub is turned to the position shown in Fig. 1 in which position the locking tongue l9 will automatically engage the groove 23 and lock the lug 2| against movement.

The groove 23 in the structure as shown in Fig. 5 is extended entirely across the base of the hub and in this case the lug 23 may be held in its locking position as shown in Fig. 1 or in a diametrically opposite position to prevent accidental movement to a locking position. In Fig. 'I a groove 26 is extended only across one side of the base and operated to hold the lug 24 in a locking position only.

In that form of the device shown in Figs. 8 to 13 a base plate 21 is employed with a case 28 preferably integral therewith projecting from its front face. The opposite end of the base is forked by means of a notch 29 within which the spindle 33 of the handle I is received. A barrel 3| is rotatably mounted in the case 23 this barrel having a squared portion 32 and a circularly shaped bearing portion 33, the squared portion fitting an angularly shaped opening in the base 33 of a detent blade 35, as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawing. The barrel 3| is biased into locking position by means of a spring 36 one end of which is secured to the base 34 and the opposite end to the case 23.

A locking plate 31 is secured to the base plate 21 as by means of screws for securing the base plate in place, and a spring tongue 33 is punched out from the locking plate and is biased inwardly to engage locking notches 39 in the detent base 34 and in the squared end 32 of the barrel 3| as shown in Fig. 10.

The detent blade 35 is of cam shape on its outer end to engage against the side of the spindle 33, as shown in Fig. 12 so that as the spindle is turned in a direction to unlock or unlatch the door the blade will be wedged against the spindle and prevent its turning. A key or similar instrument being inserted through an opening 43 in the barrel 3| may be operated to press the spring tongue 33 out or the notch 33 and thereby enable the blade 35 to be turned to unlocking position. It may be held in this unlocking position by means of a spring detent ll secured at one end within the case 23 and with its opposite end extending along a groove 42 in the barrel 3| as shown in Fig. 11, the free end of the spring being movable for disengagement from the groove to permit the barrel 3| to be turned into locking position when desired.

It will be seen that our improved lock embodies means which may be readily adapted for use in connection with the latch handles of doors of automobiles in use at the present time and by the use of this improved means the latch handle may be operated in the usual manner, and when it is desired to lock the handle so that the door will be secured from opening movement our improved lock enables this to be done with little eifort and with no chance for release without the intentional use of a key.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes we have described the principles of operation of our invention, together with the device which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but we desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

We claim:

1. In combination with the latch handle of a door including its spindle, locking mechanism mounted on the door independently of said handle including its spindle and comprising a locking member movable into position for locking engagement with said handle, means for retaining said member in said locking position, and means to receive an instrument for release of said locking member for movement from locking position.

2. In combination with the latch handle of a door, a lock comprising a structure mounted independently of and free from said handle and including a locking member movable into position for locking engagement with said handle, a spring tongue engageable with said member to retain it inlocking position, and means to enable engagement of an instrument with said tongue to disengage from said member.

3. In combination with the latch handle of a door, a base plate a lock comprising a structure mounted independently of and free from said handle and including, a locking member rotat ably attached to said base plate for locking engagement with said handle and having a groove in its bottom end and a hole extending into said groove, and a locking tongue projecting from said baseplate to engage said groove.

4. In combination with the latch handle of a door, a lock comprising a structure mounted independently of and free from said handle and including a base plate, a locking member rotatably attached to said plate for movement into locking engagement with said handle, a detent plate secured within said base plate, and a spring detent projecting from said plate, said locking member having a groove to receive said detent and a hole to receive an instrument for release of said detent.

5. In combination with the latch handle of a door, a locking device comprising a base plate, a locking hub pivotally attached to said base plate and having a locking lug movable into the path of said handle to dog its movement, said hub having also a groove in its under surface and a hole extending through the hub into said groove, and a detent plate supported against said base plate and having a tongue biased into said groove, said tongue being located in line with said hole.

6. In combination with the latch handle of a door, a locking device comprising a base plate with a case rising therefrom, a barrel rotatably mounted in said case and having a hole therethrough and a groove intersecting said hole, a detent blade secured to and projecting from said barrel for movement into locking engagement with said handle, a detent biased to enter said groove in line with said hole, and means for moving said blade-into contact with said handle.

'7. A locking device comprising a base plate with a case rising therefrom, a barrel rotatably mounted in said casing and having a hole therethrough and a groove intersecting said hole, a detent blade secured to and projecting from said barrel for movement into locking engagement with said handle, a detent biased to enter said groove, means for moving said blade into contact with said handle, and means for retaining said blade in an unlocking position.

ROBERT H. WINSLOW.

MALIDN J. SHEFFIELD. 

